Salmond "We can take Scotland in two weeks"

[DodgyAgent]

With no influence on monetary policy and no control over currency they will have less power than they have now. But at least they will be free

[Mich the Tester]

The Panama solution will not happen as Scotland is very unlikely to be allowed into the EU.

...and Scotland doesn't have a bloody great canal between two of the worlds biggest trading areas and a land route between two of the other biggest trading areas. It does have palm trees though, as I heard from some bloke in a pub somewhere.

[Old Greg]

So what happens next?

A majority of Scots says 'yes', then negotiations begin to divide out the riches/debts, which will lead to a sort of watered down 'independence' with some form of currency sharing, some kind of sharing of revenues from industries in which both countries have invested, some kind of mutual defence and border protection agreement, a free trade and travel agreement, and the Queen remains as monarch of Scotland, England and a load more places, as she is now.

There won't be currency sharing.

What do you mean by sharing of revenues from industries? Assets will be split.

Mutual defence? Maybe Scotland will join NATO, but otherwise will have its own forces, although perhaps with some arrangements with HM Coastguard as Ireland IIRC has.

Border protection? I expect they'll join the CTA.

Monarchy? Who cares - but I doubt Scotland will accept a coronation in Westminster as Canada does.

The relationship will be much more like the one with Ireland except with the same ceremonial head of state and NATO membership.

[minestrone]

...and Scotland doesn't have a bloody great canal between two of the worlds biggest trading areas and a land route between two of the other biggest trading areas. It does have palm trees though, as I heard from some bloke in a pub somewhere.

Plenty of palm trees down the west coast, but plenty of sister shagging as well.

[Old Greg]

With all 6 MEPs? Same as Malta I believe.

They will presumably have more MEPs as other small countries do proportionally to population. Ireland has 12.

[Old Greg]

With no influence on monetary policy and no control over currency they will have less power than they have now. But at least they will be free

Dream on. They'll have their own currency.

[DodgyAgent]

Perhaps they should get this guy in to run the country

Manuel Noriega - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Underscore Pt2]

RBS used to pay more in corporation tax than the entire Scottish workforce paid in PAYE.

Obviously they are temporarily fooked right now but that is the level of company that is leaving.

The nationalists seem to discount this. Don't seem to bother.

RBS isnt leaving... stop making things up.

[Mich the Tester]

There won't be currency sharing.

What do you mean by sharing of revenues from industries? Assets will be split.

Mutual defence? Maybe Scotland will join NATO, but otherwise will have its own forces, although perhaps with some arrangements with HM Coastguard as Ireland IIRC has.

Border protection? I expect they'll join the CTA.

Monarchy? Who cares - but I doubt Scotland will accept a coronation in Westminster as Canada does.

The relationship will be much more like the one with Ireland except with the same ceremonial head of state and NATO membership.

Well, I'm trying to look beyond the hyperbole and work out what's really going to happen; England and Scotland will still be on the same island and will still have to work together, whether Scotland's independent or not, and many Scots will live and work in England, while there will still be many English people who have family in Scotland or live there, etc etc. Practically, whatever the hyperbole, I suspect that the 'independence' and the 'stay in the union' camps will both have to shift their position to something looking more like a deeper devolution.

[Old Greg]

RBS isnt leaving... stop making things up.

Will they move their HQ out of Scotland?